Socio-Cultural

24 Blueprint I St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School

The business, history, geography, and language teachers provided a variety of learning activities, both online and in the classroom, to engage students in an academically rigorous curriculum.

In Business, students developed essential financial literacy skills, including ways to manage consumer and financial risk. Year 9 developed their enterprise skills and entrepreneurial mindset by exploring a range of business environments and ideas. In addition, the ASX share market game facilitated students producing a recommended portfolio for future investment. Year 11 and 12 Accounting students demonstrated their skills in solving authentic accounting problems. Year 11 Economics students learned how the Australian economy was impacted by COVID. Year 12 students successfully competed in the University of Queensland Economics Competition.

Geography students were involved in a variety of learning activities to gain deeper geographical knowledge of their local area, and problems in other countries. Year 7 Geography classes participated in class role play to suggest how the Murray Darling River could be managed for the future. This activity was part of the unit ‘Water in Our World’. As part of their studies of ‘Landforms and Landscapes’ in Term 1, the Year 8A and 8B Geography classes travelled to Mt Tamborine.

Junior History students experienced an archaeological dig, explored the mysteries of Ancient Egypt and the rise of the Chinese Empire. In Years 8 and 9 the wonders of the Industrial Revolution were followed by the age of exploration and culminated in the conflict and tragedy of the Great War. Meanwhile, Senior historians surveyed the great revolutions of the world: America, France, Russia and China, followed the rise of the Nazi Party and the battle against fascism in WWII. The Cold War was the focus of the last part of the year and the Year 12 students approached their final exam on the Vietnam War with justified confidence in the knowledge and skills they had acquired. LANGUAGES

Year 7A and 10 Chinese students participated in the annual Buddha Birthday Celebration held in Chung Tian Temple. Both groups had the hands-on opportunity to learn more about Chinese arts, crafts and culture activities. Both groups had the opportunity to learn more about Buddhism, meditation, traditional Chinese tea ceremony, and practiced Chinese calligraphy. Year 7B and 8 students went on a Chinese lunch and enjoyed learning Chinese dining etiquette. Students across all grades also participated in the annual Education Perfect competition which has made learning more fun and enjoyable.

French students had the opportunity to experience French culture – particularly the food. Students in Years 10 to 12 enjoyed a delightful meal at local French restaurant, Boucher, with a menu of French classics such as cheese soufflé, snails and tarte tatin. Students in Years 7 to 9 enjoyed warm French pastries to celebrate the end of their exams, while, in the Junior School, students rehearsed and presented short French-language plays.

Each week, Junior and Senior students attended Wasabi Club and Sensei Says Clubs and continued to learn about different cultural aspects of Japan, including the wearing of the yukata/ kimono, writing calligraphy, and playing traditional Japanese games. The Junior school students are working incredibly hard to learn the hiragana characters. Japanese language students achieved high standards in the annual online Education Perfect World Championships, with two students in Year 7, Serena Shi and Yolanda Wang, achieved an Elite Award.

Mrs Marcia Forness Head of Faculty

BA, DipT, MEd (Teaching and Learning), MEd (Guidance Counselling)

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